The very first appearance of online casinos in the mid 90’s sparked the beginning of a brand new era, utilizing the net in a way unimagined of before. Online Gambling had begun and was set to become one of the webs most popular pastimes!

Several of the very first few online casinos that appeared, have, rather remarkably, survived the test of time and have become leaders in their field. Others on the flip side, were one hit wonders and due to poor marketing coupled with abysmal customer support they failed miserably and disappeared shortly after opening.

As always, some were run by genuine businesses wanting to build a reputation for fairness and integrity and stand the test of time within an up and coming, profitable, market. These were the unfortunates that tried hard but failed.

With all new markets on the flip side, the conmen will appear, ripping off customers and grabbing as much of other peoples cash because they can without any morals, scruples or sympathy.

Unfortunately the on-line gaming market has picked up more than its fair share of these conmen since its inception and this led, in several peoples minds to the whole industry being tarred with the same brush.

The Press has a part to play their dogged determination to knock online gambling as often as it can be, citing cases of addiction. As always, where fortunes can be won you will always find an element of addiction. In contrast, these cases are fairly rare and also the vast majority of individuals can gamble small amounts responsibly. Look-at how many have a weekly flutter on the lotto without the problems whatsoever.

It’s worth noting at this point that the area generally speaking, over the past few years, has somewhat gained a reputation for fairness and security. The conmen are now few and far between, although admittedly, some still exist. The leading sites in addition have measures in place to ensure that problem gamblers get help with their addiction and also are often barred from playing.

These days on the flip side, online casinos, poker rooms and other gaming sites have become fashionable and with the massively growing popularity, the numbers of people playing online has grown exponentially. In some countries or areas however gambling is still illegal, so check what the rules are for your area before playing.

So what’s the easiest way of picking a secure and safe online environment by which to play casino or poker games? Let’s look-at some of the ways by which you can protect yourself when gambling online.

Stick with a Well-known Company

Large international gaming companies are now available online and have a reputation to preserve. They cannot afford any bad press as it’s going to affect the entire of their operations, both on and offline.

Word of Mouth

What better way to get first hand information on how a site is operated than asking others how they have been treated there and whether they find it an enjoyable site or not.

Consult a Gambling Portal

There are actually a good online gambling site many gambling portals available online giving advice on all aspects of online gambling, including, but certainly not limited to casinos, poker, bingo and skill games.

Read the reviews of the gaming sites they feature or read their forums for the “word of mouth” recommendations. The top gambling portals only promote reliable, tried and tested sites.

As a result of the close working relationship held between the site owners and contributors, they are a up to date bunch who will advise with some authority or where to play safely.

Portals are also a great way through which to get more information about how exactly to play. Many portal site pages are adorned with rules, strategy guides and often free to play games to try out your abilities before committing to regular play.

Secure Payments

All the worthwhile sites accept many various payment options with secure facilities to be certain your data is protected. Only play at the sites where your details are safe.

Set a Limit

Before you start, set a limit on how much you would be prepared to loose and don’t cross that line.

Using the aforementioned information you should be well on your way to having an enjoyable time when playing online in a trustworthy and respectable site.